ESD protection apparatuses and/or ESD protection structures bypass, in an ESD case, the power of the ESD pulse around a device to be protected and thus make the ESD pulse harmless for the device to be protected. In electrical circuits, like, for example, integrated circuits, the ESD protection structure is connected to a pin to which the device to be protected within the circuit is connected. Exemplarily, this may be a signal pin by means of which predetermined signals can be applied to the internal circuit and/or the device to be protected. In the ESD case, an ESD pulse the power of which would result in a destruction of or considerable damage to the device to be protected is applied via this pin. The ESD protection structure is connected to ground or another suitable reference potential and/or to a supply voltage at the pin to be protected. In normal operation, the ESD protection structure is “electrically invisible”, so that the device to be protected behaves as if there were no ESD protection structure. In the ESD case, the ESD protection structure clamps the smallest voltage possible, this clamping voltage also being across the parallel path to be protected. The high current impressed by an ESD pulse is drained to ground or the suitable reference potential.